Cursed
by NeonDomino
Summary: Harry stumbles upon a cursed house and comes face to face with a man he thought was dead. Harry Potter/Regulus Black.


**Challenges/Competitions:**

**New Year- Better Writer Challenge -** Task One - Generation Gap. Write about two generations coming together.

**The Multi-Ship Challenge** -** Harry/Regulus. Prompt: Award.**

**Amateur Divination Game -** Prompt: Beauty and the beast.

* * *

The curse is broken," Regulus said in shock.

"Of course it is," Harry replied. "Everyone knows that Love is stronger than anything else in the world."

Regulus stared at him. "You love me?"

"And you love me," Harry replied, smiling.

"Sirius is going to kill me, isn't he?" Regulus groaned.

"He might be tempted," Harry agreed. "I would suggest telling him whilst he's still on a high from finding out you're alive."

"I think it best we get this war out of the way before anything happens again," Regulus said. "Then I'm yours."

**...oOo...**

_"Who are you?" Harry asked, looking at the masked man._

_"I... just consider me a friend," the man replied._

_"But I need to know what to call you," Harry insisted._

_"Leonis," the man said after a minute's thought. "And what can I call you?"_

_"You don't know my name?"_

_"I know you're a Potter, you look like your father. As for your first name... well, lets just say when I got cursed here, you weren't born."_

_"And what is the curse?" Harry asked._

_"So that I may never leave. I believe the Dark Lord cursed me here, but has forgotten about the curse he placed on the item that brought me here. I'm trapped. I can't find a way out."_

_"And the curse - is it just you?" Harry asked._

_"I think you're cursed too," the man said, softly. "You were within the wards that I've set. You apparated into here. I had to bring you inside because you would have died had I not."_

_"And I can never leave?"_

_"I'm sorry," he replied. "I don't know how you apparated into my wards. They were set in hope that no-one else could get in, but you must have touched something you shouldn't have."_

_"I don't know," Harry said. "But I can't stay. I have to stop him."_

_"How can you? You turned up here almost dead. You can't leave. Tell me how you are going to do anything?"_

_"There must be a way to break the curse," Harry insisted._

**...oOo...**

"So, now we're free from here, we can leave. Where are we anyway?"

"Deep in the forbidden forest," Regulus said, looking nervous at the prospect of leaving.

"Let's go."

"Just give me a minute," Regulus requested, disappearing to his room.

Harry followed and watched as Regulus picked up a few notebooks, cramming them into a worn rucksack in the corner. The man pulled a book from the bookcase and opened it, a locket falling out.

"We'll need this to finish this battle," Regulus said. Harry reached for the locket, but Regulus shook his head.

"I've lived with it here for years, it can cause darkness but it doesn't affect me anymore. I don't want it to affect you, Harry."

"We could come back for everything?" Harry suggested, looking around.

"I never want to return to this house. Who has Grimmauld Place?"

"It's Sirius', I live there too. He kept your room exactly as it was," Harry said.

"Do you think -"

"He'll let you back, I just know it," Harry confirmed.

**...oOo...**

_Harry had been in the strange house for almost a wee now. A week trapped with a man who wouldn't tell Harry who he truly was, who had cursed him, or what item it was._

_Harry knew he needed the truth._

_He waited until Leonis was sleeping, before he snuck into the man's room. His eyes fell on paintings over the walls. A man with grey eyes caught his attention. That looked just like..._

_No. Why would Leonis have Sirius painted on his wall? But as he looked across the pictures, he began to see a pattern. One that looked like Narcissa caught his eye, Andromeda, Bellatrix, and Sirius' younger brother, Regulus._

_Harry's gaze moved to the sleeping man, whose hood had slipped down. Black hair._

_He couldn't resist but pulling the mask from the man's face, causing the man to jump up in alarm, his eyes wide and his wand pointed at Harry._

_Harry looked at the man who was clearly the man in the painting on the wall. The soft grey eyes, the high cheekbones, the black hair falling down his back._

_"You're Regulus Black," Harry whispered._

**...oOo...**

The pair moved through the forest quickly, Harry a step behind Regulus, holding tightly to the older man's hand.

They froze, Harry pulling at the galleon around his neck.

_'Harry, are you alive?'_

The Galleon was working again. It had been failing to send or receive any messages inside the house, but now it was working and Harry could contact his friends.

_'I'm alive. How can I get into the castle?'_

_'Hogsmeade, to the Hog's Head. Aberforth Dumbledore will be waiting. DO NOT Apparate directly there.'_

"What is that?" Regulus asked.

"Charmed coin, Hermione said we can't apparate directly to Hogsmeade. We need to get to Dumbledore's brother in the Hog's head. He can get us into the castle."

"We should be able to apparate," Regulus said, looking around. "We apparate a couple of miles from Hogsmeade in case of any alarms set up..." he paused, trying to think of a plan.

"And we use my invisibility cloak to just walk in there?" Harry suggested, pulling the cloak out of his robes.

"A cloak of invisibility?" Regulus whispered, reaching for it, running his hands over it. "Harry, I could just kiss you."

"Why don't you?" Harry asked.

"When the war is over," Regulus replied. "We win this, and I'm all yours for as long as you want me."

"And if we lose?"

Regulus shot Harry a smirk that even Sirius would be proud of. "Love, have a little faith."

"You should have faith too, that I'll want you," Harry told him.

**...oOo...**

_Regulus lowered the wand. "You know who I am?"_

_"Yes," Harry replied. "I'm Sirius' Godson."_

_"I suspected as much," Regulus said with a sigh, pushing Harry out of his room and closing the door after him. "How is my brother?"_

_His eyes showed his concern for his brother more than his tone of voice. "He's alive, isn't he?"_

_"He is," Harry confirmed, shocked at the sight of the man everyone thought dead._

_"My parents?"_

_"I'm sorry, they died," Harry told him, allowing himself to be pushed towards the living room._

_There was a long pause and Regulus stared at him._

_"What about Barty Crouch Junior?" He finally forced out, clearly scared at the answer._

_"He tried to give me to Voldemort. The Dementors got him."_

_"Imprisoned him?" Regulus asked, his voice breaking._

_"No," Harry said._

_The dark haired man looked away, Harry suspected that he was hiding the tears that Harry suspected were flowing down his face. "I had hoped... he had tried to keep his loyalties a secret. I thought if the war ended, he may have been able to go on and live a normal life. He wasn't dark, he was just confused."_

_"He was a Death Eater -" Harry started._

_"And so was I," Regulus snapped. "Not everyone had a choice in the matter. Sirius was able to leave, but I had no choice. We didn't know what we were getting into."_

_"Everyone thinks you died, Regulus."_

_"I suspected they would when I disappeared."_

_"But we found your note. We know what you done."_

_Regulus looked back at him. "Who exactly are you to have been in that cave?" he asked, his eyes narrowed._

_"I'm Harry Potter," Harry replied. "The whole bloody Wizarding world is relying on me to take Vol... you-know-who out."_

_"And the..." Regulus hesitated._

_"Horcruxes? Well, the one you took... we can't find it. Ron and Hermione, well... hopefully Hermione is looking for the last ones as we speak."_

_"Your friends?"_

_"They've been helping me search."_

_Regulus nodded his head. "Let's have something to eat, shall we?" He suggested, changing the subject._

_Regulus quickly cooked up a meal for them, watching Harry eat as he tried to get his thoughts in order. _

_"Now you know who I am, I can ask you... tell me about Sirius? How long did he hate me? What was it like growing up with him raising you?"_

_"Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban for life," Harry said. "Peter framed him."_

_"Pettigrew?" Regulus asked._

_"Yeah. Sirius was supposed to be my parents secret keeper, but they decided on Peter instead. They didn't tell anyone. Peter sold them out and my mother stood in front of the curse to protect me. When you-know-who shot the curse, it rebounded off me and he disappeared. Sirius went after Peter, and Peter made it sound like Sirius was the one to betray them, he faked his own death and blasted the street. Sirius was blamed and spent 12 years in Azkaban. He escaped."_

_"How?"_

_Harry hesitated for a minute, but it wasn't like Regulus was going to tell anyone, plus, he trusted this man._

_"His Animagus form. He's a large black dog, and -"_

_"Wait. He's that black dog that used to follow me?" Regulus asked. "I thought that was the grim. I thought..." he started laughing to himself. "My brother knew I'd associate the dog with the grim. I suspect he was trying to scare me straight."_

_"I grew up with my muggle relatives, not Sirius," Harry finished._

_"What was that like?" Regulus asked._

_"Awful," Harry admitted. "But I've got a new family. Sirius and Remus, Hermione and the Weasleys."_

**...oOo...**

Harry decided that he liked being under the cloak with Regulus. The other man was taller than him and the cloak was made for one, meaning Regulus was pressed tightly against him as they slowly edged their way through Honeydukes and to the Hog's Head. Regulus' arms around Harry so they didn't move away from each other.

He wanted this bloody war to end more than ever. When it was over, his family would be bigger. It would include Regulus.

The door opened slowly and the pair moved inside the Hog's Head, to be met with a wand pointed in their direction.

"Just because I can't see you, it doesn't mean I don't know you're there. I'm likely to hex first, question later."

Harry pulled the cloak away. "Aberforth Dumbledore?"

"That's right," the man replied, eyes flicking to Harry's scar. "Was expecting just the one of you." He looked at Regulus.

"He's with me," Harry said. "We need to get into the castle."

**...oOo...**

_They were sitting so close, that he could make out the exact shade of grey of Regulus' eyes. Regulus was making no attempt to move away from him, just returning his gaze._

_He kept telling himself that he was going to return to be with Ginny. That Ginny was waiting for him, but why had he been thinking about and dreaming about Regulus Black for the last few nights? Why did he feel nothing when he thought of Ginny Weasley?_

_"Regulus," Harry whispered._

_"Harry?"_

_"I think I'm falling for you."_

_In almost a blur, the other man rushed from the room, leaving Harry alone on the sofa._

**...oOo...**

Neville looked at Regulus a few times as they walked through the tunnel. His questioning gaze met Harry's, but Harry wasn't in the mood to explain it too many times. "We'll need the order," Harry said. "All of them. Tell them that Snuffles needs to be here too."

"Who is Snuffles?" Neville asked.

"Just... trust me on that," Harry said.

"Ginny's been worried sick," Neville mentioned as they continued.

"Ah... has she moved on?" Harry asked.

"She hasn't," Neville replied. "So are you and her..."

"No," Harry said. "We broke up and I contemplated it whilst on the run, but recently I've come to realise that it's not Ginny that I want."

His gaze met Regulus' and he smiled. Regulus smiled back.

They kept walking down the tunnel.

"Hermione and Ron were worried sick. They turned up yesterday. Luna and Dean are with the Order. Ron won't stop talking about Luna, seems they connected or something during their stay at Shell cottage."

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked.

Neville grinned. "What can I say? I've liked her since the first day on the train. If we get through this, I might even get the courage together to... maybe ask her out. What do you think?"

"I think you should give it a shot," Harry said, as they stopped at the end of the tunnel. Neville pushed against the portrait and it swung open.

"Harry's here!"

"Harry!"

"Harry? Where were you, oh me and Ron were so worried -"

"We thought you were dead, mate. Glad to see you aren't -"

"Harry is here -"

"Harry," came a shout over everyone elses. Harry felt an arm slip around his waist as the crowd parted.

**...oOo...**

_"You were in a relationship with Barty."_

_"I was," Regulus replied, as he cooked._

_"You like men then."_

_"I do," Regulus replied, infuriating Harry. Could he not give a longer answer?_

_"What's wrong with me?" Harry asked. "Am I not enough? Is it because you didn't like my father?"_

_Regulus sighed. "Harry, I admired your father. Him and Lupin both saved my brother, but you're just a boy."_

_"I'm seventeen."_

_"Exactly. You are of age, but that doesn't change that I'm eighteen years older than you."_

_"I don't care. Just because I'm seventeen. I've fought in a war, I've fought against Voldemort. I've dealt with visions and hero-worship. I've survived you-know-who. I've faced dragons, competed in the Triwizard-Tournament and so much more. I'm not a boy."_

_"It makes no difference. It's wrong, Harry."_

_"What's wrong?" Harry snapped. "All I've ever done is what everyone else has wanted me to do. I've a destiny to fulfil. That prophecy set the course of my life. I've hunted Horcruxes. I'm not a child, Regulus. I'm a man, and I want you."_

_Regulus didn't reply, he just slowly turned to look at Harry._

_"Who are we hurting?" Harry asked._

**...oOo...**

"Harry?" the redhead said, coming to a stop as she watched the dark-haired man pull Harry closer to him. Grey eyes met hers, as though challenging her to move closer.

"Oh, hi, Ginny," Harry said, looking distracted. "Have you seen Ron?"

"Uh, no. Um, who is this?" The 'and why is he touching you like that?' remaining unsaid, but heard perfectly.

"Oh! This is Regulus, Sirius' younger brother. I'm really sorry, but we need to go talk to Ron and Hermione."

"But Harry-" Ginny was cut off, mouth agape as he rushed off, dragging Regulus with him.

Regulus smirked at the expression on the girl's face as they rushed past her. He couldn't help that he was so possessive. Harry had agreed to be his and only his after all... and Regulus had a feeling that Harry was the type that was concerned about hurt feelings and would try let her down gently.

He recalled Barty being the same way, and girls not really getting the hint. It was best to make it clear from the get go so they didn't make a fool of themselves.

"Ron, Hermione, this is -"

"Regulus Black," Hermione gasped.

"How do you know?"

"Sirius has a picture of them both... I caught him looking at it one night in the kitchen," Hermione replied. "But even if I hadn't seen it, it would have been clear that he was related to Sirius. They look quite similar after all."

"Blimy Harry, something you want to tell us about you and him?" Ron asked, his eyebrows raised at the mens joined hands.

"Oh right... well, I ended up in the forbidden forest. Short story, Regulus fell under a curse when he touched the locket and was cursed to that forest. He was living in a house there, unable to leave or contact anyone."

"So no-one knows he is alive?" Ron asked.

Harry shook his head.

"How did you get out?" Ron asked. "We wanted to go back for you, but Dobby refused to take us. When he went back for you, you were gone."

"I got out of the manor quickly, a few hexes hit me and I used my last bit of energy to apparate to Hogwarts as I didn't know where else to go," Harry explained. "Regulus found me... I had lost a lot of blood. I was there until... well, we all know what is the strongest magic..."

"Love," Hermione whispered. "Well, we have a job to do. We can be happy for you later."

"I had a vision on the way here, he is coming," Harry whispered.

"We found another Horcrux," Hermione told Harry. "We used one of the fangs in the Chamber of Secrets to destroy it."

"Do you still have that fang?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and rooted around in her bag, before pulling out the fang wrapped in cloth.

Harry passed it straight to Regulus. "You do the honours," Harry said, before turning back to his friends.

"How did you find one?"

"I used polyjuice potion and went to Gringotts as Bellatrix Lestrange. It was in her vault," Hermione said proudly.

"That means there are two left. The snake and something else. It's here in the castle somewhere."

**...oOo...**

_"This is a bad idea," Regulus said. "I'm no good for you. What happens if we ever get out of here?"_

_"Then I'll still be yours."_

_"Is it that easy? That clear? You've told me yourself that the world is watching you, you are all over papers. I was a Death Eater -"_

_"But you defected. I don't care what the world say, Regulus. I'm falling for you. I'm yours."_

_"I can be possessive, jealous," Regulus said, trying to convince Harry otherwise._

_"I don't care. I imagine if a witch threw herself at you, I'd be quite jealous too."_

_"But -"_

_"Forget everything. Forget what people will and won't say. Forget what people will think. What do you want, Regulus? You've been imprisoned here for half your life now. Isn't it time for you to take what you want?" Harry insisted._

_Regulus was torn. This was his brother's Godson. This was the son of James Potter... but he couldn't resist him. Harry had gotten under his skin the past few weeks, and try as he might, Regulus couldn't stop the feelings he was having._

_Harry wasn't the only one falling. Regulus was too._

_"If I want you? I'll not give you up. If there is someone else out there waiting for you -" Regulus began._

_"I broke up with her so long ago," Harry said. "I'm all yours."_

_Regulus strode over to him, and with a movement so quick that Harry didn't see it coming, lips were on his._

**...oOo...**

Regulus stayed away from his brother and the other order members during the fight. He stuck by Harry, keeping him safe, knowing that Remus Lupin would do everything he could to keep Sirius safe.

His presence would cause a distraction and Sirius' duelling would get sloppy were he to get emotional.

He planned to save the reunion until after the battle, though it happened a lot quicker than expected. The dead were taken to the hall and Harry led him in. It was seconds before a wand was against his throat.

"Miss me, brother?" Regulus said with a smirk.

"Harry, who is this?" Sirius asked, slamming the man into the nearest wall, the wand staying against his throat.

Remus came rushing over, his eyes on Regulus.

"It's your brother," Harry said. "You should let him down, Sirius."

"Harry, I don't know what this man told you, but he's not my brother. My brother is dead."

"Really, and how did he die?" Regulus asked. "Better yet, where is his body?"

Sirius hesitated slightly. "He's dead," he repeated.

"Cursed. I was trapped in a house. I imagine that the curse sent me there for Voldemort to deal with personally, but before he could get to me, he disappeared." Regulus' gaze shot to Harry.

"Harry apparated to the area, but into the grounds. He almost died, I had to bring him in to heal him. He was cursed too, but it's broken now."

Sirius was shaking his head, uncertain. He looked at Remus.

"If Harry had stayed with him for a few months, I would assume he's not out to hurt Harry," Remus said.

"Please Siri," Regulus whispered. "Believe me."

"Reggie?" Sirius whispered back, his eyes widening at the use of Regulus' last words to him before Regulus disappeared. "Shit, you're alive?"

Sirius moved his wand and threw his arms around his brother, holding him tight.

"Took you long enough, how Lupin puts up with you I'll never know," Regulus said as Sirius let go. "The man deserves an award."

"That he does," Sirius laughed. "I have so much to fill you in on."

"Harry told me about what happened. I'm so sorry, Sirius."

**...oOo...**

_Harry allowed Regulus to lead him to the living room. He trusted Regulus to know which way to go because he couldn't think straight with Regulus' lips on his. It was perfect._

_Amazing._

_He never wanted to stop kissing Regulus._

_"On the sofa," came a whisper, as the back of Harry's legs hit the sofa. He sank down, Regulus quickly following, covering Harry's body with his own._

_"Say you're mine," Regulus growled. _

_"I'm yours," Harry gasped, as lips ran down his neck._

_"Again!"_

_"Yours, I'm yours," Harry whispered. "But that makes you mine."_

_"Indeed it does," Regulus replied, his fingers reaching for the bottom of Harry's t-shirt._

**...oOo...**

It was all over. The war was over. Voldemort lay on the ground, dead.

Just like the students in the hall.

He was just a lifeless corpse.

"Your old room is still empty," Sirius said.

Regulus smiled at his brother. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Sirius said. "So... you healed Harry? I should be thanking you for taking care of him."

"Not necessary. Harry's already thanked me," Regulus said with a smirk.

"What? How?" Sirius asked, confused.

"Sirius, are you sure you want to ask that?" Remus said.

Sirius looked from Remus' worried face to Regulus' smirking one.

"No - Harry and Ginny -" he began.

"Broke up after Dumbledore's funeral," Harry finished, coming up behind them. "Sirius, the house was cursed. What is the strongest magic there is?"

"Love," Sirius whispered. "Love?" he said, drawing everyone's attention. "You are in love with my brother?" He was shocked and turned to his brother, his eyes narrowed. "You love my Godson?"

"More than anything. You can't doubt what we have, Sirius. The curse wouldn't have lifted otherwise," Regulus said, putting a hand on his brother's arm.

"So, I'll be moving into Regulus' room with him... if it's okay with Regulus," Harry said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Love," Regulus replied, kissing Harry softly on the lips, not caring who saw.

* * *

**Thanks to Lynn and Raybe for helping me with this. :)**

**Review Please :D**


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